Typically, biometric systems are designed to acquire optimal images by considering specific constraints of the type of biometric in question. If other data is to be acquired (e.g. face or background imagery), then typically different sensors are used since requirements for different types of imagery are very different. However, such an approach adds cost to the overall solution and may also increases the size or footprint of the system.
Adam, et al., US Pat. Publ. 20060050933 aims to address the problem of acquiring data for use in face and iris recognition using one sensor, but does not address the problem of optimizing the image acquisition such that that the data acquired is optimal for each of the face and iris recognition components separately.
Determan, et al., US Pat. Publ. 20080075334 and Saitoh, et al., US Pat. Publ. 20050270386, disclose acquiring face and iris imagery for recognition using a separate sensor for the face and a separate sensor for the iris. Saitoh describes a method for performing iris recognition that includes identifying the position of the iris using a face and iris image, but uses two separate sensors that focus separately on the face and iris respectively and acquires data simultaneously such that user motion is not a concern.
Determan et al., US Pat. Publ. 20080075334 also discusses using one sensor for both the face and iris, but does not address the problems of optimizing image acquisition such that that the data acquired is optimal for each of the face and iris recognition components separately.
Jacobson, et al., in US Pat. Publ. 20070206840 also describes a system that includes acquiring imagery of the face and iris, but does not address the problem of optimizing the image acquisition such that that the data acquired is optimal for each of the face and iris recognition components separately, and does not address how a compact-sized system may be achieved.